Printing member



L. V. CASTO ET AL Aug 15, 1939.

PRINTING IEMBER Original Filed Aug. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 1.1.070 M 614570,

au/aa va/v WEBB? ml EPWHKD m HflMH/VT A994 Lama Mflr/ A ORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,169,221 PRINTING MEMBER.

Lloyd V. Casto, Detroit, Mich., and Guido von -Webern and Edward William Hamant, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to Oxford Varnish Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application August 27, 1937, Serial No. 161,328. Divided and this application June 24, 1938, Serial No. 215,662

14 Claims.

tion for Letters Patent Serial No. 161,328, filed August 27, 1937, and a continuation in part of applications Serial No. 38,358, filed August 29, 1935, and Serial No. 108,698, filed November 2,

1936, which latter applications have matured into Patents Nos. 2,096,730 and 2,096,731, respectively. In decorating articles of manufacture, and especially in the application of designs simulating wood-grain and other natural'objects to articles of manufacture by printing processes, considerable difllculty has been encountered when the surfaces to be decorated deviated from a common plane, either in a transverse direction or in a lineal direction within the plane. Such decorations are generally accomplished by the use of offset printing processes which utilize, as a pattern, a photo-engraved printing plate, made in any well-known manner. However, the patterns or printing plates are generally developed on flat or cylindrical surfaces. Hence, when the surface to be decorated deviates from a. common plane, the transfer member must coact with the planular surfaces of the pattern to-remove ink therefrom, and then coact with the non-planular surface of the article to be decorated to transfer such ink thereto. In some instances it has been found practical to utilize a mechanism provided with a continuous flexible looped band or web acting as a transfer member. Examples of such mechanisms are shown and claimed in Patents Nos. 2,069,798, 2,096,730 and 2,097,731, all of which are assigned to. the assignee of the present invention. In such patents, the transfer web or belt comprises a flexible'continuous. belt, which is looped about a pair of spaced rollers. One of these rollers has a true cylindrical surface, and supports the belt for rolling contact with the cylindrical pattern, while the other of these rollers is grooved or has an otherwise configured or deformed surface approaching a surface complen entary relative to the contour of the work surface to be decorated.

The transfer belt or web mentioned above must, of course, be flexible, and the pattern and workcontacting surfaces must be formed of a material which will remove the ink or paste from the image of the pattern and transfer such image to the work. Generally, glue and glycerin compounds, which are well known in the art, are used for this purpose. These compounds lack the strength required to be used as a transfer member without a continuous support or base, and particularly when a substantial configuring force or pressure is applied to the printing portion of the belt. Hence, the general object of the present invention is the provision of a transfer member, in which the transfer material is supported by a flexible supporting band or loop.

When the surface of one roller supporting the transfer belt deviates from a true cylindrical surface, additional diiflculties are encountered. In such instances, the belt must conform to the deformation of such roller.- Thus, the transfer member is constantly flexing to present a fiat, planular surface to the pattern and a non-planular or deformed surfaceto the work. Therefore, a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved transfer belt which will flex to permit the deformation above mentioned at comparatively high speeds of travel of the belt, and with as little surface distortion as possible, and thereby accurately transfer the design to the work without blurring or other disadvantageous results.

Accurate reproductions of the design or pattern on the work are essential. When the pattern comprises a substantially flat or cylindrical surface, and the work comprises a deformed surface,

the condition of the structure of that portion of the offset blanket that contacts the work and that portion of the blanket that contacts the pattern should be such that the distortion of the design carried thereby is minimized. A further object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a transfer belt and a method of using the same,-

which will provide such surface conditions of the belt as will accurately transfer the design. This object is attained by providing a transfer belt comprising an elastic base carrying a resilient composition surface, so constructed that the base is normally held in tension by the composition coating and the composition is normally held in compression by the base. Thus, the belt may be stretched or looped about a pair of rollers, one having a true cylindrical surface and being large in comparison with the other roller, which latter is provided with a deformed surface, and when so stretched the surface of the composition coating at the extreme end of the belt adjacent the larger roller will be in a substantially normal or non-stretched condition, while the surface of the composition adjacent the other looped end of the belt will be abnormal or in tension lengthwise of the belt, thus slightly decreasing the width of the surface at such point. Thus, when the composition is forced fully into the deformation of the deformed roller, the belt will be tensioned transversely of the belt (axially of the roller) increasing its surface to substantially its original width. The effect may be best illustrated by way of an example. Let us assume the design comprises a series of equi-spaced lines extending circumferentially about the pattern cylinder. Ink from such lines, when transferred to the normal surface of the transfer belt, will be spaced identical with the lines on the pattern, and will extend lengthwise of the belt. As these lines are drawn about the deformed roller, the surface tension of the belt will cause them to come closer together where the roller is undercut, as the belt is strelched lengthwise to bring the belt partially into the annular depression in such roller. When, however, the work is engaged by a rolling action and the belt pressed fully into the annular depression in the roller, the axial stretching of the belt restores the spacing of the pattern lines, thus accurately reproducing the pattern so that the lines thereof are equi-spaced about its surface. The formation of the belt to accomplish the above, is effected by applying the composition in a normal or non-tensioned state to a prestretched elastic base, the elasticity of which is suflicient to enable the finished belt to be stretched to a substantially normal condition of the pattern and be looped about the deformed roll without completely, still partially entering the deformation therein.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of a decorating mechanism utilizing an offset or transfer belt, constructed and used in accordance with the present invention, the belt being partially broken away to more clearly illustrate the contour of the belt-supporting rollers and shape deformation of the belt when coacting with the pattern and the work respectively; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the relative surface contours of the belt, the pattern, and the pattern supporting roller when the decorating mechanism and work have been separated by a relative separating movement; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the decorating mechanism, the transfer belt, and the workpiece, the plane of the section being indicated by the lines 3-3 on Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the transfer belt, removed from the decorating mechanism, a portion of the belt being broken away to more clearly illustrate the internal con struction thereof; Figs. 5 and 6 are of vertical sections illustrating elements which go to make up the belt; Fig. 7 illustrates such elements in position upon a forming mandrel; Fig. 8 is a section through a. modified form of element for the formation of the belt; Fig. 9 illustrates the modified form of element on a forming mandrel and in position in a mould in which the coating or transfer surface material is applied to the belt; Fig. 10 is a sectional view, illustrating the belt made, using the modified element.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the improved transfer member or web with which this invention is especially concerned for the purpose of illustration, is shown in use in a decorating mechanism of the type shown in the patents heretofore referred to, and reference to such patents may be had for a more complete disclosure thereof. The drawings of the present application show a portion of a frame l0, which rotatably supports a pattern roll ll, provided with a cylindrical intaglio printing plate or cylinder [2: having'a continuous design about its periphery. Also, rotatably mounted in the frame [0 are a pair of spaced rollers i4 and IS. The larger roller ll of the pair is positioned adjacent the pattern roll, while the smaller roller [5 is positioned adjacent a work support IS. The work is indicated at W, and may comprise, as shown, a metallic frame, such as an automotive window frame. However, many types and kinds of work may be decorated by my improved offset member, as occasion may demand.

In operation, the pattern roll I l and the roller [5 are positively rotated, causing inkor graining paste, which is applied to the pattern roll in the usual manner, to be removed from the pattern by the transfer or offset belt 20, and transferred by such belt to the work W, which rests on the workholder Iii. Generally, the workholdei is progressed lineally, so that the work coacts with that portion of the transfer web 20, which lies adjacent thereto, with a true rolling action, thereby accurately transferring the design in color from the pattern to the work.

As will be seen from the above description, it is preferable that the transfer belt be flexible, resilient and yielding. Flexible, because it must pass through from arcuate formation around the rollers into a straight line formation for those portions of the belt between the rollers; resilient, because the roller I5 is deformed, as at |5a (Fig. 1), whereas the roller M has a flat. cylindrical surface, thus the offset web or belt must yield so as to enter the deformed surface of the roll l5, and yet lay flat along the surface of the roller l4.

It has been found advantageous to provide a transfer belt which, when tensioned between the rollers i4 and i5, assumes substantially the relation to the configuration of the roller I5 as is illustrated in Fig. 2. In this figure the tension of the belt between the two rollers has drawn the belt partially, but not fully, into the recess l5a formed in the roller I5. When a workpiece is pressed into contact with the transfer belt, such pressure forces the belt fully into the recess I511.

The preferred belt may be formed by stretching an elastic band 30 about a cylindrical form 35 (Fig. 7), and applying to such stretched band a second elastic band 40, which, to encircle the first band, is stretched to a greater extent than the first band. The form 35, together with the stretched bands 30 and 40, is placed in a mould, such as is shown at 45 in Fig. 9, and a coating of transfer material 50, in a fluid or semi-fluid state, is poured into the mould and permitted to solidify by chilling or by the evaporation of the solvents which retain the composition fluid. This coating, when solidified on the mandrel 35, is unstretched. When, however, the belt is removed from the form 35, the transfer material is compressed by the contraction of the previously stretched rubber bands 30 and 40. However, when the belt is stretched between the rollers I 4 and IS, the bands 30 and 40 areagain stretched and the transfer material returns to a substantially normal condition, (neither in tensioned nor in compression),-where it passes around the relatively large diametered roller l4. However, such transfer material is slightly com pressed at the region of entry into recess lid in the smaller or deformed roller I 5. The amount of this compression is such that it will be substantially neutralized by the axial or transverse stretching of the belt when it is forced completely into the recess lia by the establishment of a printlngpressure between the belt and a workpiece.

To secure the most advantageous surface condition of the transfer material, it has been found preferable to use a transfer belt, the deformation of which, when the belt is in its normal shape, is less than the deformation of the roll I3 from a straight line surface. An example of such a belt is shown in Fig. 4.

A modified form of belt, which has an hour glass shape, such as that heretofore described, is shown in Fig. 10. This belt is formed with a continuous hour-glass shaped or otherwise deformed sleeve or ring 69 of rubber or other elastic material, Fig. 6, which is stretched about the cylindrical form 35, as shown in Fig. 9. This ring likewise is preferably smaller than the form, so that the ring must be stretched to be mounted. The transfer material is cast about the rubber ring, as heretofore described.

In any form of the invention the base which carries the transfer material has a normal deformation greater than the expected normal deformation of the belt, thus the base will tend to maintain the belt constantly deformed. Obviously, many deformations, other than the hourglass deformation, may be provided as demanded by the contour of the workpieces to be decorated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have provided a flexible, yielding transfer belt in the form of a continuous loop, and which may be readily looped about a pair of rollers, one of which is a true cylinder, the other of which is deformed to conform with a workpiece and the belt stretched therebetween, presenting a deformed surface to the workpiece and a substantially planular true cylindrical pattern, and, when properly positioned and operated, will accurately transfer a design to a deformed or nonplanular workpiece without any appreciable deformation of the design.

We claim:

1. A'printing member comprising a base of stretched elastic material and a coating of unstretched material secured thereto and providing a printing surface.

2. A printing member, comprising a resilient base and a layer of resilient material secured thereto, and forming a printing surface, such material being normally held in compression by the base, whereby when the printing member is stretched a predetermined amount, the printing material will be brought to a substantially normal condition.

3. A printing member, comprising a base layer and a layer of material secured thereto and forming a printing surface, each of said layers being formed of a material capable of being placed in compression or tension as desired, and being secured together in such a manner that when the member is in a normal condition, the material forming the printing surface is held under compression by the base material.

4. A printing element, comprising a base layer and a printing surfaced layer, both of said layers being formed of a material capable of being placed under compression or tension, as desired, said layers being secured together so that when the base material is placed under a predetermined tension, the material forming the printing surface will be in a substantially neutral condition.

5. A transfer member for use in the decorating of surfaces, comprising a base of stretched elastic material and a coating of unstretched transfer material secured thereto.

6. A transfer member for use in the decorating of surfaces, comprising a stretchable base, and a compressible transfer material secured thereto, such material being normally held in compression by the base, whereby the transfer material may be brought to a substantially normal condition by stretching of the base.

7. A transfer member for use in the decorating of surfaces, comprising a distorted base layer and a layer of transfer material secured thereto, each of said layers being formed of a material capable of being placed in compression or tension as desired, and being secured together in such a manner that when the belt is in a normal condition, the transfer material is held in a distorted condition by the base material.

8. A transfer member for use in a surface decorating mechanism, said member comprising a base layer and a transfer layer, both of said layers being formed of va material capable of being placed under compression or tension, as desired, said layers being secured together so that when the base material is placed under a predetermined tension by a stretching action, the transfer material. will be in a substantially neutral condition. I 9. A printing member for surface decorating mechanism, comprising an elongated band of flexible material, an elongated band of flexible, resilient, transfer material of substantially the same width and length as the first-named band and superimposed thereon, a third elongated band of elastic material, normally shorter and narrower than the other bands and disposed therebetween, said third band being stretched to substantially the same length as the other bands.

10. A printing member for surface decorating, comprising an elongated band of deformed flexible material, a continuous band of flexible, but normal non-deformed resilient transfer material superimposed thereon, said second-named band being maintained in a deformed condition by the first named band.

1 1. A transfer member comprising a base of stretched, deformed elastic material, and a layer of unstretched, non-deformed transfer material superposed on said stretched base.

12. A transfer belt for surface decorating mechanism, comprising a continuous band of flexible material, a continuous band of flexible, resilient, transfer material of substantially the same width as the first-named band superimposed thereon, a second continuous band of elastic rubber material, shorter and narrower than the other band disposed between the first two bands.

13. A transfer belt for surface decorating mechanism, comprising a continuous band of flexible material, a continuous band of flexible, resilient transfer material of the same width as the first-named band, superimposed thereon, a

second band of flexible, resilient material, shorter and narrower than the other band disposed between the flrst two bands.

14. A transfer belt or loop comprising a base of stretched, elastic material in the form of a continuous band, a narrow band of elastic material superposed on the first-named band and stretched to a greater extent than the base, and a layer of unstretched transfer material superposed on said stretched bands.

LLOYD V. CASTO. GUIDO VON WEBERN. EDWARD WILLIAM HAMANT. 

